Yeast starter question and yeast bite

[lolcats]

Hey guys,

I'm planning on making a 3 gallon batch of DIPA (OG 1.072) this weekend. I made a starter a few days ago from the yeast harvested from my last batch. It would be the 3rd repitch of Wyeast 1318.

My last brew has a pretty big yeast bite, so I might have overpitched.

As per the picture, I almost have 250ml of yeast, but it's kind of mixed with a bit of trub and probably some dead yeast I guess.

Mr Malty calculates that I need 87ml of slurry for a 3 gallon batch. So does that mean I should pitch 1/3 of the yeast there? But I don't know how to determine how much yeast is still healthy. I don't want to underpitch too. So how would you do it?

Thanks!

 

[Bensiff]

Once upon a time it was recommended not to repitch yeast that was used in beers over 65IBU's or used in high gravity beers...pretty sure that still stands. Anyway, given that, I would take the yeast from the DIPA, wash it well to try and sort out as much dead yeast and other trub from the healthy yeast, and then put that yeast in a starter to get a good healthy culture.

 

[Sadu]

I did a 1 gallon 1.072 DIPA recently which came out great. I pitched 40ml of very clean slurry, with a vitality starter.

I'd say your slurry is not as clean as mine, so I would go with 60ml per gallon or 180ml total. And use a vitality starter.

You can get away with a lot less for sure, but why take the risk?

The vitality starter is simply removing say 500ml of wort from the start of the boil, cooling it, then adding it to your yeast in a jar or stirplate. I find this extra 1-2 hours where the yeast can get started on some wort is absolutely gold for healthy yeast. when you pitch into the full wort the yeast are active and ready to go. Adds a little extra work to brew day, but I think it's worth it every time if you aren't making a proper starter.

 

[lolcats]

Thanks guys for your responses,

So how does let's say the Alchemist do it? They pretty much only make DIPAs, and I heard they reuse the yeast for about 10 generations..

The latest beer was a 40 IBU NE style DIPA, but with a big load of dry hops. Can the yeast absorb the bitterness from Dry Hopping? I just tasted a sample from my starter, and there's a faint hop flavor with a little IBUs in there

I like the idea of the vitality starter, I'll try it!


Ok so basically I wont brew this weekend and focus on getting healthy yeast for the following weekend.

 

[ericbw]

That yeast in the picture is from a starter you made within the last few days? That means that you grew some more yeast and it's relatively active right now. Warm it up and do the "vitality starter" on brew day, but I don't think making another starter is the answer.

I would probably cold crash that jar, then pour off the top liquid (decant) to about half that level. Then swirl it all up together - feed it some wort at the beginning of the boil if you want. Chill to your fermentation temperature (or a little under if you can) and pitch.

Your starter looks fairly clear of any hop debris. By the time it goes into a 3 gallon batch, the hoppiness is a tiny bit. And you're making another DIPA, right?

Are you controlling the fermentation temperature?